I’m a TV expert — this is the one Mini-LED TV I keep recommending to friends and family shopping on a budget

The TCL QM7K mounted on the wall of a large, modern living room. On the screen is an NFL-branded football.
(Image credit: TCL)

Amazon Prime Day 2025 is entering its fourth and final day, and we’re still tracking all of the best Prime Day TV deals we can find.

As someone who reviews TVs for a living, I’ve been getting texts and emails all week from friends and family members looking for TV-buying advice. And, with one exception, I ended up recommending the same TV to all of them: the brand-new TCL QM7K.

When this TV debuted, the 65-inch version was priced at $1,499. Right now, you can land the 65-inch TCL QM7K for just $797 at Amazon. It's the lowest price this TV has ever been.

TCL 65" QM7K Mini-LED TV
TCL 65" QM7K Mini-LED TV: was $1,499 now $797 at Amazon

This Mini-LED TV has been my go-to recommendation this week for friends and family shopping on a budget. Not only are you getting a fantastic and versatile 65-inch TV, you're securing it at its lowest price ever. And, if 65 inches is too big for your living room, consider 55-inch version of the QM7K for $598.

If you’re not familiar with TCL’s bright, gaming-friendly mid-range TV, let me explain why it’s got such wide appeal.

Entry-level TVs usually leverage standard-sized LED backlights. The TCL QM7K, however, uses Mini-LEDs. As the name implies, these are smaller-sized LEDs that typically offer better backlight control. You'll appreciate the QM7K's backlight control during cinematic content, as the TV's Mini-LEDs vastly improve contrast.

Additionally, TVs like the QM7K get much, much brighter than garden-variety LED TVs. According to the tests we carried out for our TCL QM7K review, this TV is capable of pumping out over 1,700 nits of HDR highlight brightness. (For context, the entry-level TCL QM6K tops out at around 700 nits.)

TVs like the QM7K get much, much brighter than garden-variety LED TVs.

Gamers will squeeze a ton of value out of the QM7K, too, due to its array of gaming features. It's equipped with a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K gaming up to 144Hz. This means the QM7K can take full advantage of the Xbox Series X and PS5 Pro.

These HDMI 2.1-compatible ports are separate from the QM7K's dedicated eARC port, so you're free to connect two consoles and one of the best soundbars for your budget. This flexibility can be hard to find in this price range, but the QM7K has you covered.

Also included are Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro (for ultra-smooth gameplay), plus TCL's Game Accelerator 240 feature, which allows for even higher framerates at a sub-4K resolution.

The QM7K is a Jack-of-all-trades TV,. Its bright, Mini-LED display allows for a cinematic picture and it's a fantastic fit for gamers.

Critically, its discounted price tag is one that most folks in the market for a new TV can afford. This week, I've already recommended it to five people I know personally. I can guarantee that I'll do so again by the end of Prime Day.

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Michael Desjardin
Senior Editor, TV

Michael Desjardin is a Senior Editor for TVs at Tom's Guide. He's been testing and tinkering with TVs professionally for over a decade, previously for Reviewed and USA Today. Michael graduated from Emerson College where he studied media production and screenwriting. He loves cooking, zoning out to ambient music, and getting way too invested in the Red Sox. He considers himself living proof that TV doesn't necessarily rot your brain.

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